Machine for folding fabric



Aug. 31, 1926.

J. H. THOMPSON ET AL MACHINE FOR FOLDING FABRIC 5 Sheets -Sheet 1 FiledAugust 6. 1924 .ll I I II WI I lHl 1 m. mm

Aug. 31 1926. 1,598,177

J. H. THOMPSON ET AL I MACHINE FOR FOLDING FABRIC I Filed August 6. 19245 Sheets-Shed 2 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 J. H. THOMPSON ET AL MACHINE FORFOLDING FABRIC Filed August 5. 1924 Aug. 31

Livia l- FI OU 8* MM QM Aug. 31, 1926. 1,598,177

J. H. THOMPSON ET AL MA HINE FOR FOLDING manic Fiiea August 6. 1924 5Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. 31, 1926. 1,598,177

J. H. THOMPSON ET AL MACHINE FOR FOLDING FABRIC Filed August 6. 1924 5Sheets-Sheet 5 D. 2 8 Q; l fix Ki 1 i 3 1 x i N IN V TOR.

Patented Aug. 31, 1926.

f at S nseam Parser JOSEPH H. THOMPSGN AND JOHN, G. GGGAL, OF Pr'iS AlC,AND JAMES .I". ABER, OF CLIFTON, NEW JERSEY; SAID ABET; ASSXGNOTEL TOSAID 'lI-IOIVIPSON.

MACHINE FOR FQ LDING FABRIC.

This invention relates to an improved ma chine for folding sheets offabric and in particular regular pie-determined sized sheets and themachine that is illustrated l and described is of the most commonlyusedtype for folding handkerchiefs, napkins and the like in mills where theyare made or in the laundries where large quantities of fabric sheets arefolded such as in hospitals 1 and hotels.

lVhile such articles as handkerchiefs, napkins and the like can be madein various 7 or from the last manufacturing step in a.

factory and are laid on the table of the ma chine. The machine picks upthe handkerchief, folds it, and if desired it can be pressed or ironedso that it will remain foldedandflat, and the invention contemplates theusual use of such flattening or ironing means as part of the foldingmachine. The absence of the ir oner however, does not affect theoperation of the folding mechanism.

The commercial operation of the machine also contemplates the use of astacking device depositing the folded articles on a pile and inalignment so that they are assembled ready for being tied in bundles orfor direct use.

The invention also consists of various details of construction that aremore fully set forth hereinafter and finally embodied in the claims. I

The inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure1 is a plan view of a machine embodying our invention. Figure 2 is aside view thereof and Figure 3 is a front view of the machine. Figure 1is a section on line l4 in Figure 3 andFigure 5 is-a section of theframeand 56 one of the folding guides, this section being taken on line 5 5in Figure 3. Figure 6 is a detail section taken on line 6-6 in Figure 1and Figures 7 and Bare detail sections showing the folding operation andbeiiig taken on line 7-? in Figure 1, show- Application filed August 6,1&24.

Serial no. 730,395.

rights or braces which are not described in.

detail but indicated in general by the reference numeral 10 and theysupport a table 11 on which table is laid the sheet to be folded, eitherthe handkerchief or napkin or the like and to enable the operator toquickly place the articles in position, we ar-- range guides whichconsists of a guide 12 adjustable on the side plates 13 by any suitablemeans such as the pegs 14 fitting in holes 15 and the guide 12 isprovided with a transverse guide 16 similarly adjustable so thattheedges of the guide 16 and the guide 12 define a slightly raised andprovide elements in which one corner of the article is seatedland it isthen-in position to be folded. The guides are shown in Figure 1 inposition to receive a. relatively smallsized article and the guides are,of course, properly treated to receive a larger size.

When the article is placed onthe table it is also placed over one of themembers of the folding mechanism which, when the article is placed onthe table, is depressed to be-approximately at the level of the table.This member of the folding mechanism comprises a standard or post 17which has a vertical movement to a limited extent, the post 17 havingtransversely projecting bars 18 and 19 which are spaced apart and aresubstantially parallel and have no support at the other end so that thefolder finger can pass between them. This construction will be evidentfrom Figure 5,

.One mechanism for raising and lowering the folder guide by means of itspost 17 is shown in Figure 5 and comprises a lever 20 pivoted at 21 andraised and lowered by a cam 22 on the shaft 23. The shaft 23 suitablydriven and we show it as being operated by the gears 24: from a shaft 25which is driven by means of the worm gear 26 in the worm 27 on the motor28.

The folding mechanism, in addition to the folder guide just described,consists of a folder finger 29 which is propelled by suitable means butwe illustrate a crank on the shaft 25, the crank being connected by alink 31 with the rocker arm 32 pivoted 33 to the frame of the machineand having a sliding: connection at its free end with the slide piece 34sliding on a suitable tracker other guiding means 35 and having securedthereto the folder finger 29. i The folder finger 29 rests atits free,end on a plate 36, the end of the folder finger 29 just resting on theplate for support and short end enables ittoclearthe post 17 aswill beevident from Figure 1. i i

The. parts are so synchronized that the finger 29 is well in advance ofthe folder guide. with itsb arsltland 19 when an article is laid on thetable ready t'o befolded and the folder. guide remains down the folderfingen oo nesfback', as" will be evident rom Figure 7 -When, however,the folder finger 29 has passed to the rear of the folder guideandisready for its forward movement as shown at a in dotted out; line inFigure 7, the mechanism in this case, the cam 22, raises the folderguide so that as the folder finger comes forward itcarriesv thehandkerchief or other article with it and gauging'it at the centre andcarrying it between the bars 18 and 19 0f the folder guide as shown inFigure 8.

To take out any wrinkles that might occurin the cloth and to keep ittaut while it is being folded, we place a tension plate 37 so that itprojects forwardly, the bar 18 beingslightly pivoted thereon, this plateextending the full width ofthe bar appron i mately, and preventing thecloth from falling down and resting in the path of the forward movementofthe folder finger in advance of the folder finger. and thejclothcarried by it r n This tension plate is preferably of smooth metal andoffers no obstruction to the packing of the cloth sufficient to make theoper ation of the machinedifficult and'is usually of a length sothatwhen the folderffinger has ged t an s h ly ifted t to Pas under it, theedge of the cloth as shown at b in Figure 8,has passed upon the tensionplate and, is thus out of the pathof the folder finger. e I 1 A secondtension. plat-e38 is piVOiQQl at to the table and rests on thebiar 19'an d provides a smooth flat surfaee over whichthe cloth in rear of thefoldei finger when the folding begins is kept taut an'd is pressedsmooth on its passage'through the folder guide and is prevented fromfalling down into the trough or hole that is made the table for thereception of the folder mechanism when itis .C epressed.

In the operation of this folder, as the finger 29 sweeps forwardcarrying the folded article from the guide operator of the m i ndsr adPut anther ar is e,

install the rollers 59 and 60 of which may be heated, which rollers are,

in position on the table which is done as soonas the finger 29, is outof; the way. The guide on the post 17 has, in the meantime,d'e'scended'and the new article is laid over it. The finger then slidesback and operates as before to carry andfold the article in the openingin the folder guide.

In the usual'machine it is necessary to fold twice, once as abovedescribed and then across at right angles to the first fold. For aceonpl-i hingw this weshQW a second folder which is, illustrated assubstantially a duplie cate of; the first ones The second folder has thepost 4Q W ih is a duplicate of the post 17, the post 40 being raised, bythe cat1141- operating on the lever 42 Which is pivoted at 4,3, andhasits end resting under the post 40. The folded piece is now narrower sothat the bars 44ai1d 45 are shorter than the bars 18'and 19. The finger46 operates the same as the finger 29 being carried by the slide 47fonthe track 48 and swung by the later ,9,. he link .0 and the rank 1, a ontheshaft 23. The tension plates 52 and 3 (ite ate a? Same a h tnsion Pat s 37 and 38.

In the ease of this second folder the finger 46 when itleaves th spacebetween the bars 44 and 45 it passes over second table 54 (see Figure6). The table 54 is elevated and supported at its front edge 55 so thatthere is a clear. space underneath. This space is necessary beeause thefirst fold of One article isbeing made when the second foldrof thepreceding article is being made, that is, aftenthe folded articlecarried by the fin er 46 has been carriedacro ss the top o th tab e 5.4d t fin r is return ing to its starting position the finger 29 is lidint e sex; 54 and" over the guide on the post 40, which in the meantimehasdescended. These movernentsvof'the respective fingers and guides areperformed in their proper sequence by the synchronized movements of thecams 22 and 41 and the cams 30, and 51. i

When the folded article is carried forward the finger 29 it is heldagainst re treating by. the spring clamp 55 held downv by a s "ringandhinged at 56 to the table 11. Te slide'34 (see Figure 10), has aspring lip 57 which raises the finger 58 of article under the table theclampr55 and allows, the front edge of the finger 29. to put the foldededge under the clamp 55%. The'finger 5S and the lip 57 are of thinspringI netal'and' the lip 57 passes under past the finger 58 and on thereturn strokdas the finger retreats, the lip rides over the finger 58and holds, the clampi55 down. while the folder finger 29 slides out fromthe folded edge of the article.

In case the folded article is to be pressed one or both.

n: we;

disposed so that the finger 46 on the end of its folding stroke deliversthe folded goods far enough forward to let the rollers get a bite on thefolded edge and they then draw it through. The screw 60 provides forpressure adjustment. The rollers are shown as driven by the belt 61,connecting pulleys 62 and 63 which latter is driven by the shaft 64which in turn has the pulley 65, the belt 66, and the pulley 67 on theshaft 23 to drive it.

To receive the folded articles in piles or stacks, I provide a tablet 68which receives each article in turn from the swinging plate 69 which hasan adjustable stop 70 to receive the folded article which slides fromthe rollers 59 and 60 over the shield 61 onto the swinging plate (39.The plate is pivoted as at 72 and is reciprocated by means of the pinion78 and the segmental rack 74 which rack is pivoted on a shaft 75 and isrocked by a rocker arm 76 which is provided on its end with a roller 77in contact with the cam 78 on the shaft 23.

The throw of the segmental gear can be regulated by the screw connection79. This cam 7'8 operates the rocker arm'76 in one direction thesegmental rack being operated in the other direction by the spring 80.To provide against jamming in case the spring 80 becomes inoperative forany reason, the emergency roller 81 adjacent the cam 78, is engaged bythis cam to push the rocker arm back but a smoother operation isperformed by the spring 80 and the roller 81 is only operative if themechanism should stick.

The tablet G8 descends as the pile of folded articles increases inheight on its top face by any suitable means for permitting it todescend, the form shown comprising a rack 82 held against downwardmovement by the pinion 83 which is operated by the balance lever or pawl84 operated by the rod 85 from the small arm 86 and the shaft 75 of thesegmental gear.

It will thus be seen that as each article is deposited on the tablet 68by a swinging of the plate 69, the balance pawl 84 permits the pinion torotate one tooth which permits an increase in descent by gravity of therack 82 and the tablet 68.

To permit a rapid re-setting of the tablet, we provide the ratchetconnection 87 shown in Figure 3. This ratchet holds the rack and pinionsupporting the tablet from descending except by a gradual step-by-stepmovement but permits it to be raised to the position from which itstarts its descent.

1. A fabric folding machine comprising a vertically movable folderguide, a horizontally movable folder finger, and synchronized means forraising the guide and advancing the finger through the guide to foldapiece of fabric deposited on the guide.

2. A fabric folding machine comprising a Vertically movable guide, ahorizontally movable folder finger, tension plates on the guide, andmeans for raising the guide and advancing the finger through the guideto fold a piece of fabric deposited on the guide. 7

3. A fabric folding machine comprising a guide with spaced bars andwhich is mov able to slightly raise a piece of fabric deposited thereon,and a finger to pass through the guide and fold and carry the saidfabric when the guide is raised.

4:. A fabric folding machine comprising a folder guide with an openingtherein, a folder finger to pass laterally through the guide, and meansfor placing the guide and finger out of alignment when the fingerretreats and to place the finger in line with the opening in the guidewhen the finger advances.

5. A fabric folding machine comprising a vertically .inovable guideincluding spaced bars and tension plates adjacent thereto, a folderfinger to pass between the bars to carry a sheet of fabric and fold itby passing it between the bars and plates means for moving the guide toplaceit in ane out of the path of the finger, and means forreciprocating the finger.

6. A fabric folding machine comprising a table to hold a piece offabric, a folder guide to rest close to the table and also to beelevated to raise a part of the fabric where the fold is to be, a folderfinger to pass through the guide to carry the fabric so raised and foldit on its passage through the guide, means for reciprocating the guideand means for reciprocating the finger.

7. A fabric folding machine comprising a table to holda piece of fabric,a folder guide to rest close to the table and also to be elevated toraise a part of the fabric where the fold is to be, a folder finger topass through the guide to carry the fabric so raised and fold it on itspassage through the guide, means for reciprocating the guide and meansfor reciprocating the finger, a second folder to receive the foldedpiece, said second folder including a guide, and a finger operatingtransversely to the direction of motion of the finger of the firstfolder, and means for operating the second folder.

8. A fabric foldingmachine comprising a table to hold a piece of fabric,a folder guide to rest close to the table and also to be elevated toraise a part of the fabric where the fold is to be, a folder finger topass through the guide to carry the fabric so raised and fold it on itspassage through the guide, means for reciprocating the guide and meansfor reciprocating the finger, a second folder to receive the foldedpiece, said second folder including a guide, a finger operatingtransversely to the direction of motion of thelinger of the firstfolder, means for operating the second. folder, a pair of rollers toreceive and press the folded fabric, the second finger being propelleduntil its folded fabric is the said rollers.

9. A fabric folding machinecomprising a table on which a sheet of fabricis supported, :1 folder guide on the tableand hav! vances so that thefinger carries the fabric,

between the elements on' the guide to fold it, second table, a secondfolding means as the first but operating at right angles thereto andincluding a folder guide and a folder finger, the parts beingdisposed'so that the first finger passes beneath the second table andthe second linger passes above it.

11. In a machine for folding fabric, a table,,a foider guide Verticallymovable on the table, the guide including a post apair of parallel barsextending from thepost, a1

grasped by tension; plate extending forwardly from one bar and a secondtension plate secured to the table and extending forwardly between thebars, and a folder finger slidable between the bars and between theplates to carry a sheet of fabric between the bars and platesjand thus,keep it taut and fold it.

12,15 fabr c folding machine comprising folder guide on which apiece offabric is adapted to be laid, the folder guide elevating sald pieceintermediate its ends and a horizontally movable fingeradapted to passthrough the guide and to carry and fold the piece by said passage, andmeans for reciprocating the finger.

'3. A fabric foldin machine c0n1pris-' ing a folder guide disposed sothat a piece of fabric can be laid substantially flatthereon,a,hor-izontally movable finger disposed so as to. pass through the guideand carry and fold the fabric by the said passage and means forreciprocating the finger;

141A fal ic folding machine comprising a guide with a space therein, theguide being adapted to allowa pieceof fabric to be laid thereon, afinger disposed so as to move above the fabric and then through theguide to carr" and fold the fabric b 1 the said passage, and means forreciprocating the finger.

in testimony tl at weclaun the foregoing, we have hereto; set ourhands,this it-h day of -Xugust, 1-924.

JosnPnn. TI-IoMPson,

JoHN e. GOGAL. nuns P. Anne;

